


Haze

by WonderAvian



Category: Thunderbirds
Genre: oh look a thing, posting more stuff here
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-02
Updated: 2016-12-02
Packaged: 2018-09-03 18:34:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 801
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8725768
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WonderAvian/pseuds/WonderAvian
Summary: Rescues where they come back late are never a good thing. Virgil has to clean up the mess he and his brothers make when they leave the youngest behind.





	

It was late. The rescue had been a tough one. Three out of four brothers had been required on the scene. They had very nearly lost Thunderbird Two due to a huge explosion that started so quickly that John had almost been too late to notice and notify them of. It had been awfully close.

Virgil carefully placed his helmet on the bench and went off to change out of his uniform.

Fifteen minutes and a warm and welcoming shower later, Virgil was re-dressed into his casual clothes and found himself sitting in the kitchen, holding a mug of hot chocolate. He was the last one from the rescue still awake.

Virgil stared off into space, thinking over previous events. Eventually he shook himself free of those thoughts, drained his mug and started to make his way off to bed.

Something stopped him though. Call it whatever you want, whether it be six sense or brotherly bond, but Virgil could tell, he could just feel it, that he wasn’t the only one not in bed.

Turning around and heading towards the comms room, the feeling grew with each step he took, and Virgil felt the familiar sense of foreboding that came with every late rescue he and Scott and Gordon came back from. A sense of guilt.

It had happened before, and it would happen again.

“Alan?” Virgil called softly.

There was no reply, but Virgil didn’t need one – he could see clearly that his youngest and littlest brother had curled up, fast asleep, on one of the couches.

Virgil tip-toed over to where Alan lay fast asleep, trying not to make any noise even though he knew there was no way the youngest Tracy was going to wake up after his lights went out.

Virgil carefully scooped Alan up into his arms, and, after making sure his little brother was comfortable, made his way to said little brother’s bedroom. It always surprised Virgil how light Alan was. Alan unconsciously leaned into Virgil’s chest, and the middle child could feel his heart ache.

Arriving at Alan’s room, Virgil slowly pushed the door open in an effort not to make it creak. Walking over to the bed, Virgil gently placed his little brother down, lifting the blankets and placing them on him.

Kneeling beside the bed, Virgil tenderly stroked Alan’s light blonde hair. Leaning over, he lightly kissed Alan’s forehead. Then he stood up and turned to leave.

“No.”

It was barely more than a whisper.

With one hand on the door, Virgil stopped. Turning once more, he gazed over at where his littlest brother was lying, his hands all bunched up and his brow furrowed.

Virgil went and sat on the bed. Alan stirred but did not wake. Looking more closely, Virgil could see, even in the moonlit darkness, the tears that slowly fell from Alan’s tightly closed eyes.

Nightmare. No doubt induced by watching the day’s events.

“Oh, Alan.”

Virgil lay down on the bed and pulled Alan to his chest. Alan latched onto Virgil’s shirt and cried, big, fat, ugly tears sliding down his cheeks and onto Virgil’s shirt and staining it a dark colour.

Virgil rubbed circles into his littlest brother’s back, tenderly kissing his forehead over and over again.

“Sssh, it’s OK, it’s OK Allie. You’re OK, I’m OK,” Virgil’s voice cracked slightly then, “Everything is going to be OK.”

It took a few minutes but Alan eventually calmed down, his broken cries transforming into muffled sobs. Then, silence except for the sound of his rough breathing. Virgil buried his face in Alan’s hair. He dully noted how Alan curled his hands up when he was sleeping. Just like a child.

Damn it, he thought, Alan is still just a child, but with the weight of the world and his older brothers on his shoulders.

There was the sound of footsteps in the hallway. Virgil looked up to see Scott standing at the door, the eldest brother’s expression torn between relief that Virgil seemed to have already handled the situation and mild concern for their youngest. There was still some part of Scott that wanted to make sure Alan was alright.

Virgil carefully pried Alan’s fingers off his shirt. Putting Alan down and laying the blankets over him again, the middle child took one last glance at his littlest brother.

Virgil stood up abruptly then and walked to the doorway. Before he exited the room, he whispered darkly into Scott’s ear,

“This is the last time I do your job.”

Then he left to go to his own room.

Scott closed his eyes, his heart heavy. Walking over to Alan, he gently kissed the top of Alan’s head and stroked his hair back. Turmoil of inner emotions warred in the eldest brother’s mind.

Then, he too, left.

**Author's Note:**

> Follow me on tumblr at wonderavian.tumblr.com


End file.
